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Death of River Phoenix Jolts the Movie Industry

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The collapse and death of River Phoenix outside a Sunset Strip club early Sunday has stunned Hollywood, largely because the 23-year-old actor was one of the most gifted of his generation.

Mr. Phoenix, a star of films like "My Own Private Idaho" and "Running on Empty," was a teen idol often described as so dedicated to healthy living that he would not eat meat or dairy products or wear leather.

The Los Angeles coroner's office, which conducted an autopsy, said today that it could not fix the cause of Mr. Phoenix's death and that the results of a toxicological analysis for drugs or alcohol would not be available for about six weeks.

The possibility that some substance may have been a factor in Mr. Phoenix's death was raised in the initial 911 emergency call by a man who said he was the actor's brother. According to a tape recording made available by the authorities, the caller said that Mr. Phoenix may have "had Valium or something" before suffering a seizure about an hour before his death.

The actor collapsed about 1 A.M. Sunday outside a West Hollywood nightclub, The Viper Room, which is partly owned by Johnny Depp, the actor and singer. Mr. Phoenix spent his last hours accompanied by, among others, Samantha Mathis, a 23-year-old actress, and his 19-year-old brother, Joaquin, an actor who is known as Leaf Phoenix. A Collapse on the Sidewalk

People at the scene said that Mr. Phoenix was escorted from the club by Ms. Mathis, his brother and an unidentified man. Almost immediately, bystanders said, Mr. Phoenix collapsed on the sidewalk and suffered severe seizures. Among the small crowd that gathered was the rock musician Flea, a bass player for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, who were scheduled to perform at the club on Saturday night.

The person who called 911 and identified himself as the actor's brother said in a panicky voice that Mr. Phoenix was having a seizure.

The actor was taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, about two miles away, in full cardiac arrest with no pulse or blood pressure, the hospital said later. He was pronounced dead at 1:51 A.M.

Mr. Phoenix was viewed by studio executives and producers as one of the most talented young actors in Hollywood, a performer whose skill and professionalism impressed colleagues.

His 1986 coming-of-age film, "Stand By Me," instantly established him as an important young actor. He won an Oscar nomination for "Running on Empty," a 1988 film in which he played the son of radicals on the run.

Harrison Ford, who played Mr. Phoenix's father in "The Mosquito Coast," (1986) and the adult Indiana Jones to the late actor's younger Jones character in "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade," (1989) said he was "terribly sad."

"He played my son once, and I came to love him like a son, and was proud to watch him grow into a man of such talent and integrity and compassion," Mr. Ford said in a statement. "We will all miss him." 'Extraordinarily Honest'

Phil Alden Robinson, who directed Mr. Phoenix in the film "Sneakers" (1992), said in a telephone interview: "He was enormously talented. He cared deeply about his craft. He loved to take chances. He loved to dig deeper and push harder. He was an extraordinarily honest actor.

"He managed to do something very unusual for an actor. He could portray great sensitivity and great vulnerability and still be exciting to watch. There was nothing soft about him when he did it. It came out of strength. It's a great tragedy."

In recent months, The Viper Room has emerged as one of the more popular music hangouts for young actors and performers. A recorded phone message tonight said: "With much respect to the River and his family, the Viper Room is temporarily closed. Thank you."

Mr. Phoenix was in the middle of finishing a movie, "Dark Blood," a Fine Lines feature also starring Jonathan Pryce and Judy Davis. It was not clear if the film, which had three more weeks of shooting left, would be completed. Mr. Phoenix, who also sang with a band called Aleka's Attic, was scheduled to appear next in the film version of the Anne Rice best-seller "Interview with a Vampire."

A spokeswoman for the family said details of the funeral arrangements would not be made available.

Mr. Phoenix, the son of John and Arlyn Phoenix, had a Bohemian childhood, spending his youth in Venezuela, Oregon, Texas and Florida. He was named after the river of life in the Herman Hesse novel "Siddhartha."

A version of this article appears in print on November 2, 1993, on Page A00016 of the National edition with the headline: Death of River Phoenix Jolts the Movie Industry. Order Reprints|Today's Paper|Subscribe